Dent Smith Trail, notes on a freeze.

"A follow up on Dent Smith trail"

Last year I wrote a brief article on the Dent Smith trail. This botanical hideaway is located in Melbourne Florida, zone 9b. I was lauding praises on the microclimate situation in this location. The winter of 2009-2010 was a precedent setting cold weather event. The uniqueness of this winter revolves around the duration of the event rather than the overall low temperatures. This pictorial will help demonstrate the special nature of this unique and under appreciated jewel of the cultivated palm culture.

Signs of a rough winter on Hyphaene and Bismark.

These Hyophorbe are a testament to the stress' brought about by the 2009-2010 winter

Shame comes to the Dent Smith trail!

This teddy bear (Dypsis leptocheilos) will live to see another growing season

Another view of P. scheferi

Ptychosperma scheferi well within the unique microclimate and thus reasonably insulated from the winter bite

Coccothrinax miraguama

Pinanga sp. doing well despite the trial

Licuala spinosa looking good as well

Astrocaryum mexicanum in a long line of diverse taxa at Dent Smith

"These subtropical species portray a deceptive ease to the success of palm culture on the Space Coast"

This Caryota sp. did not fair well but it may be due to factors other than cold

"A sour note on my expedition"

As I was moving through the park, I came upon this poor Dypsis sp.. Dypsis lovers turn away now. I couldn't believe the deplorable treatment of this palm by whomever dug it out of it's location. This palm had been doing well in it's situation for years and someone for no obvious reason dug this poor palm up and left it to die in the fifteen gallon container. The roots were drying out and were cut too close to the base. I added Spanish moss to the tub and shook my head at the egregious disregard for this plant. Shame on whoever did this and if they are getting paid to "care" for the plants on the property, there is no palm god. I was disgusted and very tempted to just take the palm with me. I refrained and accepted the matter as a malfeasant display of ignorance on behalf of the person responsible.

This Pinanga coronata displays cold damage but not perniscious

The famed oil palms enduring the cold damage

Smaller Elaeis guineensis showing the burn

The Ptychosperma elegans passed through the cold with high marks in my book

These young teddy bears are looking good despite the cold

These young Dictyosperma album made it through the cold in their location quite well

The Atallea on site were touched by the cold but this allenii seemed unscathed